Le Moyne Students, Faculty Ask College to Remove Cardinal Dolan As Commencement Speaker

By Marnie Eisenstadt
Syracuse.com
April 28, 2015

http://www.syracuse.com/schools/index.ssf/2015/04/lemoyne_students_faculty_ask_college_to_remove_cardinal_dolan_as_commencement_sp.html

Cardinal Timothy Dolan is LeMoyne College's commencement speaker. Some students and faculty would like the college to change its choice.

Some students and faculty at LeMoyne College will be closing their ears when Cardinal Timothy Dolan speaks at this year's commencement.

Dolan's handling of allegations of child sexual abuse against priests and comments he's made about gays and lesbians make him an unfit speaker, they said. Dolan is the leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

"Overall, I do not think Cardinal Dolan represents the tenets we value at Le Moyne College," said Katherine M. Bakhuizen, a senior and president of CARE, a group promoting the acceptance of gay and lesbian students on campus. "With sexual assault becoming endemic on college campuses and marriage equality with LGBTQ+ acceptance on the forefront of history, we cannot welcome someone who does not align with our values as a Jesuit institution."

A petition on Change.org asking the college to change the speaker has been signed by more than 300 people. The college's graduating class is roughly 600 students.

The college has already met with some students regarding their concerns, and will host a campus meeting later this week so any other students or faculty can be heard on the topic, said Joe Della Posta, a college spokesman.

He said the college recognizes that not everyone will be happy with the selection of Dolan.

"In selecting a commencement speaker, we consider a number of criteria, including prominence in their field, the ability to deliver a relevant message to our graduates, and

the individual's understanding of our role as a Catholic, Jesuit institution," Della Posta said. "Cardinal Dolan is arguably the most influential leader within the U.S. Catholic

Church, and we're confident his message will be compelling and impact a wide

range of people in the audience."

Bakhuizen said her protest will be a silent one when Dolan speaks: "I will be passively

not listening, but I will be staying at the ceremony and being respectful," she said.

Kailey McDonald, also a senior, is holding out hope that the college will disinvite Dolan.

"Jesus taught love and acceptance, and so does Le Moyne," McDonald said."The Jesuits do not condemn people for the way they love. I have not seen evidence that Cardinal Dolan reflects these teachings, and I hope Le Moyne recognizes that."

meisenstadt@syracuse.com